TUESDAY IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR UPCOMING ELECTION

If you haven’t registered to vote in this year’s general election, there’s only a short amount of time to get that done. County elections clerks across the state are reminding residents that Tuesday is the last day to register, if you want to be able to vote in next month’s election. If you aren’t sure if you are registered, you can call or stop by your county clerk’s office. You can also check on line by clicking here.

SKI GROUP OFFERS INCENTIVES FOR RECRUITING NEW SKIERS

The organizers of Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month are expanding an initiative designed to get more beginners to the mountains. The “Bring a Friend Challenge” is offering skiers and snowboarders a chance to win gear or ski trips if they get friends who have never gone skiing or riding to enroll in a lesson with a professional instructor between Dec. 17 and March 17. People can register online. Weekly prize drawings are scheduled to begin in January. Industry groups including SnowSports Industries America and the National Ski Areas Association are supporting the initiative. The industry is trying to keep interest in skiing up and their revenues healthy as video games, the Internet and other forms of entertainment compete for people’s free time and money.

TIPTON INTRODUCES BILL TO END CASH SURVEYS

Congressman Scott Tipton, yesterday, continued his fight against what he calls blatant federal waste by introducing theSurvey Savings Accountability Act. The bill is expected to save taxpayer dollars by prohibiting federal agencies from sending cash in mass communications, including surveys where cash is included for the benefit of the responder. Some federal agencies currently use this practice to entice responses to opinion surveys, including the Bureau of Reclamation, which in 2011 sent nearly $30,000 in cash in a survey about removing four dams in California and Oregon. The Survey Savings Accountability Act follows Tipton’s amendment earlier this year to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill to prohibit the Bureau of Reclamation and other agencies covered under the legislation from funding surveys in which money is included or provided for the benefit of the responder. The amendment passed with a strong bipartisan vote of 355-5.

PEDIATRICIANS SAY NO TO AMENDMENT 64

The Colorado Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Board of Directors has voted to add their name to an open letter being released by several Colorado pediatricians warning that Amendment 64 poses an unacceptable risk to Colorado’s kids. The signers of the letter analyzed a number of studies on the effects of marijuana on children.

Among the statistics cited in the letter:

Since medical marijuana dispensaries began operating in 2009, there have been more accidental ingestions of marijuana by young children in Colorado. Between October 2009 and December 2011, there were 14 children (ages 8 months-12 years) seen for accidental marijuana ingestions at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Of these children, 9 had documented exposure to someone else’s medical marijuana, 8 were hospitalized, and 2 required admission to the intensive care unit.

Chronic use of marijuana before age of 15 leads to worse neurocognitive functioning (i.e. ability to think, to reason, and to work) later in life.

Using marijuana as a young teenager puts vulnerable individuals at increased risk of developing of psychosis.

Compared to 2007-2008, there have been 15 more fatal car crashes involving a driver under the influence of marijuana in 2009-2010.

Today:
In volleyball:
Little Snake River Valley hosts Cokeville.
Hayden plays at Hotchkiss at noon and at Paonia at 6.
Steamboat welcomes Summit at 3.
Meeker is home against Plateau Valley at 3.
Rangely heads to North Park at noon.

In boys soccer:
Steamboat is home against Palisade at 11.

In cross country:
Steamboat and Rangely run at Aspen.

DENVER BRONCOS
The Denver Broncos play at New England tomorrow. You can catch all the action live on 55 Country, with the pre-game at noon and the kick-off at 2:25.